Aqaba

Amazing Aqaba

Aqaba is inarguably one of the hottest spots to visit in Jordan, and for a reason that should be obvious the moment you see it on a map. This city is not just the biggest of the cities on the Gulf but also the one city the country of Jordan has that is in a coastal position. This makes it the place to go to when Jordanians and visitors to the country want a taste of the beaches, the centre of water sports and activities in the area.

It is hardly as though Aqaba is a one-dimensional spot, though. Even though it is in fact a hub for water-based tourism and activity in the area, it is also good for many other things. Aqaba has an interesting history, having been inhabited since 4,000BC. Again, this is little surprise once you see its location. It sits at a crucial trading site between Asia and Africa, making it a critical stop for congress between the two regions. As such, it is culturally rich and invested with a tradition of openness, perhaps since it has long been used as a pass through which different cultures mingle and mix. It has been controlled by the Kingdom of Jerusalem, by Saladin and by the protectorate of the British. It has been inhabited by Edomites, Arab Nabateans, Greeks, Romans and now Jordanians. Throughout that time it has held and built a reputation as a welcoming city of tourist delights, of beachside amusements and modern luxuries.

This tells you that Aqaba has a history rooted in strong cultural exchange and interaction. It is a wonderful city for any tourist, as it welcome all without rancor. The city that has spent literal millennia opening its gates to itinerants from all around the region is certainly not about to stop doing that now.

The primary attraction in Aqaba is perhaps the Red Sea itself-which, despite its name, boasts some of the most gorgeous turquoise waters in the world, chock-full of the most magnificent marine fauna and flora. This is the place to go if you want a respite from the arid deserts of Jordan, a place where one may indulge freely in water sports and general enjoyment of the beach and the waters lapping at the sands. This is so-called Red Sea Riviera.

Red sea of Aqaba

Most people coming here simply lounge at the beaches, of course, but you are certainly not restricted to the sands when you come to the beachside. Besides swimming, you can also enjoy diving in the many spectacular coral reefs and wreck sites of the Gulf of Aqaba, as well as snorkel around islands of such import …

If you like marine life or diving at all, Aqaba Marine Park is definitely one of the places to visit when you go to Aqaba. This place was established by the government in the late 90’s-in 1997, to be precise-and for a very important reason: it was noticed that extensive use of the marine resources of the Gulf of Aqaba was having a fairly large influence already on the environment-one not entirely positive. As a result, the need for a body that would handle conservation and management of at least one environmentally significant part of the gulf was brought to the fore. The answer was the Aqaba Marine Park, which is basically a protected area where people work not only to safeguard the biodiversity of the local waters but also to promote in a healthy and measured way the import of the park’s work to tourists and locals alike.

Nice beach at Marine Park in Aqaba

The park is about 7km long and is situated on the southern coastline of the city. There are several zones in the park, and you can use the zoning to figure out …

One of the best things to see in Aqaba is the Red Sea itself: a veritable wonderland of marine creatures and colours and a medley of everything that compels people to snorkel or scuba dive. Over a thousand species of fish have been documented to show up here, and over a hundred live exclusively in these waters. Coral reefs and slopes abound in the area as well, dotting the submarine landscape with superb spots of colour and even history where the corals have built up on wrecks of old cruisers and even tanks. The only difficulty with this scenario is that some people cannot really access these sights save through the distanced medium of television: a good number of persons cannot swim or are simply not secure with the feeling of being exposed and underwater. Fortunately for such people, a new solution has come up in the Gulf of Aqaba: the Neptune Boat.

Experience riding Neptune boat when in Aqaba

The Neptune Boat in Aqaba is similar to the traditional glass-bottom boats so ubiquitous in tourist waters rich with wildlife. The primary difference is that this gives you a far larger panorama of the sea than you would get with your average glass-bottom boat. The Neptune Boat is basically a glass-bottom boat where …

Aqaba’s position right next to the Red Sea should suggest to tourists that it is a place for beachgoers, and that is definitely true. Among its most popular beaches would be the South Beach on the southern coast. While often referred to collectively by tourists as one beach, Aqaba’s South Beach is actually a collection of beaches on the coast of the Red Sea, around the space between Aqaba Harbour and its border: there are both private and public beaches here, each with their share of advantages and disadvantages.

Amazing South beach of Aqaba

If you choose a public beach, you can naturally expect more noise and more of the locals to be present (a potential problem if you are a woman and want to wear less than a t-shirt and shorts); however, the public beaches can be accessed free of charge. On the other hand, choosing a private beach gains you access …

If you are at all interested in aviation activities, one of your stops in Aqaba should definitely be the Royal Aero Sports Club, a curious non-profit organisation that was founded by King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein of Jordan after he managed to experience the delights of aero sport himself and saw that it would be a fine addition to Jordan’s tourism activities roster. The current president of the club is the Prince Hamzah, which holds up its original status as a “royal” club, although anyone is free to try out the activities the club is offering, provided you pay the fairly reasonable fees.

Experience flying at Royal Aero Sports Club

The Royal Aero Sports Club offers such activities as hot air ballooning, microlight flying, and ultralight flying (you have a choice here of either a Savannah or a Remos G3). Of these, perhaps the most popular among tourists is the hot air balloon option. The trip usually takes you over the gorgeous stretch of desert and …

The Kempinski Group is known for some of the most luxurious hotels and accommodations around the world, with locations from Austria to the United Kingdom. In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, it has at least three locations: two of these are situated in the Amman area and the third is in the country’s sole port to the Red Sea, Aqaba. One of the main attractions in the latter, in fact, is the plush spa and wellness centre located in the group’s hotel: the Kempinski Spa.

Rejuvenate in Kempinski Spa

The Kempinski Spa does business all days of the week, from 10:00hrs to 22:00 hrs, with the facilities accepting reservations if you call ahead or get in touch with them via email (spa.aqaba@kempinski.com). They do a number of functions here, and you should just ask them if they can handle the services you want. …